Jim has mesmerized audiences across the USA and internationally as a keynote speaker and trainer since 1990. His amazing tale of resilience is described in a new adventure memoir that Jim co-authored with Pulitzer-finalist journalist, Kevin Vaughan, “The Ledge: An Adventure Story of Friendship and Survival on Mount Rainier.”

Prior to becoming a motivational speaker, Jim’s business achievements included: Leading hundreds of training workshops for scientists, lawyers and corporate managers; Working 20 years as an environmental consultant, expert witness, & corporate manager; Founding and running a consulting firm, Alpine Environmental Inc; Earning degrees in geology (B.S. from University of Massachusetts-Amherst) and environmental geology (M.S. from Colorado State University); Painting electrical towers charged with 230,000 volts for his father’s painting business.

During his 30 years of high-altitude climbs, rescues, and dramatic survival situations, Jim has: Summited the sixth highest peak in the world (Cho Oyu at 26,906 feet in Tibet); Climbed and led expeditions to Alaska, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Ecuador, Mexico & Nepal; Spent more than a year of his life sleeping in soggy tents; With training in wilderness first aid, avalanche safety, and vertical rescue, Jim honed his resilience expertise in the field as an expedition leader, ice climbing instructor, and mountain rescuer.

Jim has: Volunteered to rescue other hikers and climbers on numerous occasions; Been commended twice by the U.S. National Park Service for leadership and personal sacrifice on mountain rescues; Saved himself from 80-feet deep inside a glacial crevasse; Of special interest, Jim’s compelling survival story is featured in a one-hour episode of “I Shouldn’t Be Alive” on Animal Planet (the “Killer Crevasse” episode from 2011).

Jim lives in Colorado with his two adventurous children and his very, very tolerant wife! Every spring, Jim volunteers to teach hundreds of elementary school children to climb. He is an avid rock climber and ice climber. Jim enjoys skiing, backpacking, photography, racing numerous half-marathons and one marathon (3:42), and even running up a 14,000-foot peak occasionally.